This is a basic modelling tutorial that will teach you how to make a screw-driver and render it with FG (Final Gather) With global illumination, HDRI (High dynamic ranged imagery) And DoF (Depth of field, optional).

Let us begin shall we, open Maya, and go to the modelling section. Now create a polygon cylinder on it's X axis, with 30 subdivisions around axis, 5 subdivisions along height, and 32 subdivisions on it's caps.

Now take your scale tool and scale the cylinder out on it's X axis a bit, like in the image.

Go into vertex mode, go at a side view of the cylinder, select the two middle spans.

And scale it using the middle scale button to make them smaller, and then select the span closest to the end of -X half of the cylinder and move it close to the end spans

Now select the end spans on the -X end and move them closer to it's nearest span

Select the 4'th span and scale it with the middle scale button to make it a bit larger, then move it closer to the 3'rd span on the -X end.

Select the two end spans, and scale them on their X axis, then move it to the -X direction.

I think this tutorial is bad for several reasons. Worst of all is that it works. It teaches very bad habits to users. Especially the boolean operation on polygons is a bit misleading, i mean fine it happens to work here*. But seriously doing the exact same thing without a boolean is less work and creates a far superior model.
See its this kind of small things that can push peoples learning experiences back by months because they have now learned a approach which will come and bite their ass and they wont know until its too late.
It makes sense, it works... but doesn't really in the long run. See its a surefire way of killing the interpolation of a TON of things you will need to rely on later in the game. Once you realize this you've wasted a lot of time.
Other complaint: its mislabeled, Readership Level, should be Beginner
* the trick is knowing when the boolean works tough

Very easy and fun tutorial I thought. The revolving of the 8 extended spheres I thought would be difficult... but when u make 1, duplicate, revolve 180...grp and duplicate again, revolve 90, duplicate, then another 45...very easy when you think about it. :) Anyways, I did this, and bumped up the rendering some more, and when my friends look at the pic, they wonder where I got the purple and pink screwdrivers from. :)

WHY WHY WHY. I don't know how to render. Well, I have Maya 2011. The options/settings are kinda different. But: When I assign the dgs_material with your settings, the object turns black. I don't goddamnit. I just don't know how to f***ing render... I've done many different aproaches but still the objects are black, there is no lighting etc... I don't know what to do anymore. I have given up on this program twice because I couldn't render.
If anyone can help me, please contact migoskotostras-kouax@hotmail.com ...
Thanks.

i had a few issues. doesnt look like anyone is responding to these comments on here tho:
1|) when adding the 2nd screw driver I am unable to change its handle color only. changing the color changes the color of all handles. same for the shafts also.
2) is there a way to batch render to psd (photoshop) that doesnt have the white background? i can go into each file and remove the white but that seems like wasted time.
3) only a comment but seems like the run and gun sytle of this tut made it very easy but I would like to have learned about setting exact sizes and loctations.
at any rate, an amazing tutorial and I learned so much.

SAME F**KIN PROBLEM AS [ SHADOW DATSAS ] IS FACING.. MODELS PERFECT BUT WHEN IT COMES TO RENDERING AND TEXTURING I AM A NOOBARD...
[ OBJECT TURNS BLACK ]
& HOW TO GO TO MENTAL RAY SETTINGS..????
help :'(

Exactly what Joojaa said over a year ago. Its my first time on Maya, only halfway through the tutorial, and even I can tell that there are some bad habits here. It should be about design intent and accuracy.
Basic stuff that might help others:
Use the align tool to get the shaft and the handle lined up.
F8 is to select whole bodies.
F9 is to toggle node mode.
When using the 4 viewports, spacebar will maximize the view you are using, so you don't have to do keyhole surgery.
*edit Am I missing something here? "Now create an ambient light, with no intensity, make it cast shadows, then go to render globals Select mental ray in th............"
How?

@raghu14 : run below line code ( in blank below left of the time slider )to see MR render global in Attribute Editor :
select -r mentalrayGlobals ;
BTW this tutorial is for Maya 6.0 and you can see you render global easily by clicking on Render Settings icon or run this code :
unifiedRenderGlobalsWindow
I remember when i was a noob i read this and enjoyed a lot that moment .